1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for recording images on a roll of film and a cartridge for housing a film reel to be wound with the image-recorded film in such a manner as the film reel can be dismounted.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, apparatus wherein a microfilm is exposed to a laser beam so that an image is recorded thereon has been proposed. Such image recording apparatus comprises an unexposed film reel for holding an unexposed film, a laser optical system, a film winding reel to be wound with the image-recorded film and a film transport mechanism for transporting the film from the unexposed film reel to the winding reel via an exposure section.
A cartridge in which both the unexposed film reel and the winding reel are integrally housed is known. Such a cartridge is useful when the film is to be developed after all the film was exposed for image recording, but is wasteful when the film is to be developed although a portion of the film remains unexposed.
The winding reel is to be disposed independently of the unexposed film reel so that only the image-recorded film wound around the winding reel is subjected to development. At that time, the reel wound with the image-recorded film needs to be housed in a cartridge in order not to be exposed to light, and also the winding reel needs to be dismounted from the cartridge easily to subject the image-recorded film to development.
Further, an operation of loading a film to such image recording apparatus has been practiced manually, which is troublesome. Specifically, before the film starts to be wound around the winding reel automatically, the operator has to insert the leading edge of the film in a crack formed on the core, and holding the leading edge of the film with the fingers so that the edge will not come out from the crack, the operator has to wind the film around the core a few times to fix the edge of the film on the winding reel.
In the light of the situation, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 63-267937 discloses an automatic film winding device for which an exclusive film reel is used. The device comprises a mechanism for holding the leading edge of a film and a mechanism for winding the film around the reel. However, this device is to be provided with a special film reel having the holding mechanism, and an ordinary film reel on the market can not be used, thereby raising the cost.